“Detective, everyone” Hotch said, “we have security in
place.  Now we need to make sure we have
no gaps whatsoever before the lights go out.
I’ve asked that they let us know before they cycle through this section
of the hospital, but I won’t sugarcoat this people.  We will
be dangerously exposed for at least eight minutes.”

Hotch glanced at Emily he knew she was stressed, he had seen
her picking at her fingernails and now, biting her bottom lip and wondered
briefly if he could get her to stay put with JJ and Rizzoli.

“Prentiss…” he started.

“No Hotch, I’ll be out here with the rest of you.” She
stated flatly.  Emily knew Hotch and she
could tell he was worried about her state of mind.  She had been too calm, too controlled, too
quiet, like she had been about Doyle.

“You can stay with JJ…” Hotch continued.

“Yeah Princess, stay with JJ, Frost and I will be…”

“I said no!” Emily glared at them. “Don’t you get it, I
won’t sit this out, and I’m fine okay?  I
just want to get this guy and I’m no help if I’m sitting in a hospital room
doing nothing.”

Rossi looked at Hotch and shrugged his shoulders “you tried
Hotch, just let her be” patting Emily on the shoulder, Rossi stood by her.

Shaking his head, Hotch knew that short of tying her to a
chair or strapping her to a bed Emily was going to do it her way.  Well, he had been known to improvise and
compromise before so.

“We’re going to do this right, does everyone
understand?  Prentiss, Reid, Morgan, and
Frost I want you all monitoring this hallway and checking in periodically with
Dr Isles and Garcia.  That means one of
you is to be in there at all times do I make myself clear?” locking eyes with
Emily he let her no she was to do this as well. “Prentiss, you’ll work out the
rotation.”

Opening her mouth in surprise, she snapped it shut; he had
given her the responsibility of assigning someone to do what she didn’t want to
do, knowing full well she didn’t shirk shared responsibility.

“Dirty pool sir” she said quietly

“Is it?” with a sympathetic smile, Hotch continued, “Korsak,
Rossi, and I will coordinate with the uniformed officers patrolling the
hallways and touch base with the supervising Sgt. We’ll check in regularly
right here.”